Keep beloved pets safe this Christmas

Christmas can be a big problem for our four-legged friends, veterinarians say.

Christmas tree decorations, cakes, raisins and overfeeding are top of the do-not list for Port Hedland Vet Hospital’s Dr Richard Knight.

“The foreign bodies are the ones that get us because they can cause emergencies — tinsel and balls, those kinds of Christmas decorations are of concern,” he said. “We always get one or two a year, mainly X-raying Christmas decorations and often they will come out on their own, with some difficulty, because dogs can be quite resilient.

“Puppies are the worst — I’d advise to pick up decorations and keep puppies out of the kitchen for Christmas.”

RSPCA advice for looking after pets over the festive season includes exercising them before guests arrive, creating a safe, quiet place for them, and keeping an eye out for changes in appearance or behaviour.

It is also recommended pets should not consume alcohol, avocado, chocolate, Christmas pudding, coffee, cooked bones, currants, fruit cake, grapes, gravy, ham, lollies, macadamia nuts, marinades, onion, pork, raisins or sugarless gum.

“A lot of dogs like fruit, but raisins can be reasonably toxic, mango skins can be as well and, of course, chocolates,” Dr Knight said.

“The overfeeding is the vet’s nightmare.”